beulah_devaney's review against another edition
5.0
A completely fascinating collection of essays about artificial intelligence that I've now brought multiple copies of for everyone in my life. Jeanette Winterson takes a purposeful meander (I know, sounds like an oxymoron but tis what it is) through the history and development of AI.
I've read this and listened to the audiobook, also voiced by Winterson. Listening to this older, working class, Northern woman speak passionately and knowledgeably about AI was ridiculously inspiring. So inspiring, in fact, that it was the push I needed to really pursue AI-related projects at work and make sure my voice was added to conversations about the ethics, scope, pitfalls and potential of AI.
norcani's review against another edition
2.0
The chapters focusing on the now are decent but anything future centric is based on the faulty premise that AGI isn't only possible, or even plausible , but inevitable. There is no real justification given for this fantasy but reiterated again and again ("I am sure that.." why?). So more than half of this is the equivalent of being based on the premise of the moon being made of cheese.
In the end a lot of the essays were a real stretch to connect to AI anyway. There also were no less than 3 essays focused on misogyny, besides the one focusing on sex bots I found them out of place.
The last thing is, at some point she calls COVID-19 nature's way of culling humans, that "perhaps should be accepted". I am taking this out of context but there is no context that will make it more acceptable to say perhaps these deaths should be accepted. What a callous thing to say especially considering how overwhelmingly it kills people in risk groups already.
In the end a lot of the essays were a real stretch to connect to AI anyway. There also were no less than 3 essays focused on misogyny, besides the one focusing on sex bots I found them out of place.
The last thing is, at some point she calls COVID-19 nature's way of culling humans, that "perhaps should be accepted". I am taking this out of context but there is no context that will make it more acceptable to say perhaps these deaths should be accepted. What a callous thing to say especially considering how overwhelmingly it kills people in risk groups already.